Restaurant ‘Diet’ Menus Not All So Lean
Many popular chain restaurants lighten up their menus with some “low-fat, low-calorie” options targeted at health-conscious eaters. But are those meals really as guilt-free as they’re made out to be? Not always, according to a new study.
Eight Scripps TV stations took a sampling of diet menu items from popular chains such as Applebee’s, Macaroni Grill, Chili’s, Taco Bell and Cheesecake Factory. Lab technicians tested a total of 23 items, finding that 78 percent had higher fat content than listed on the menu and almost 69 percent exceeded the calorie count listed, ABC News reported.
The big shocker was Macaroni Grill’s “Skinny Chicken.” The dish is supposed to be just 500 calories, but if you eat the bread that comes with it, it registers at 1,022 calories, at least at one location. The fat grams per serving are listed at six but actually are 49, the study found.
Brinker International, which owns Macaroni Grill, Chili’s and On the Border Mexican Grill, apologized to their customers in a statement, saying they strive to make their nutritional information accurate.